Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-10-15

,,,,Ik,,,o. d;,,-. ~ fooct 80, tho;. ,...ll
he rnnrdsrors t. tSaU ,vont t Jnun ~. "o .;ror
II would Iaaa thor, - stondarto,, .rd thara
thay ,yo,,Id ho go 70 tho,, oo,,Id 80 ;.r, a.
toyp wbich ,yas o,o ,r;so,,od hu En0I;sh p,,t
th., as thew gatherad from, tho convorsation
of their ascort Standartor vas closol,, in
vested Inv the Roers and to trv and mace
tbrouoh their l;nas was more than +tev dared
to do II was t,,e that thew still had tho
mass signed bv the Boer general hut after
what had occnrred tbev ware not urnstnraIIv
somewhat skentical oh,mt the vo,ue of nasses
nd csrta;nlv unwilliny IN put their efficacy
To the nroof So after dine consideration
thew determined TO avoid Standerton and
ride I'm the ouposits direction, tn tlasy found
4 practicabls ford Of the Wal Fortnnately.
thew both of them had a very fair idea of ths
h,y az the land: and in addition To this. John
possessed a small compass fastened to his
watch chain. which would enable him to steer
n prettv correct course across the veldt-a
fact that would render them independent of
the roads. On the roads they would run a
momeutary risk, if not a certainty of detec-
ton. But on the wide veldt the chances vera
that they would meet no living creature ex-
cept the wild game. Should they come across
houses they would be able to avoid them, and
their male inhabitants would probably be far
away from home on business connected with
the war
Accordingly they rode ten miles or more
along the bank without seeing soul, when
they reached q space of bubbling, shallow
water that looked fordable. Indeed, an in
vestigation of the banks revealed the fact
that q loaded wagon had passed the river at
4
"That is good enough said John: 1--WE will
try it.r And without further ado they
faunged in.
In the center of the stream the water was
strong and deep. and for few wards took
the horses Off their lees. but they struck out
boldly till they got their footing again: and
after that there was no more trouble. On
the farther side of the river John took coun-
sci with his compass and steered a course
straight for Mooifontein At midday they
offsaddled the horses for an hour by some
water. and ate a small portion'of their re-
mcining food. Then they upsaddled and
went on across the lonely. desolate veldt. No
human being did they see all that long day.
The wide country was only tenanted by great
herds of laundering game that came rushing
past like souadrons of cavalry, or here and
fighting furiously over some dead buck. And
so at last twilight came ON and found them
alone in the wilderness
"Well, what is to be done nowan said John,
pulling up his tired horse. at will be dark
in half an hour
jess slid from her saddle as she answered,
"Get Off and go to sleep, suppose
She was quite right; there was absolutely
oIe x,o 40. Ial cot
to work and hobbled the horses, tying them
together for further security, for it would be
q dreadful thing if they were to stray. By
the time that this was done the twilight was
gathering into night, and the two sat down to
contemplate their surroundings with feelings
akin to despair. So far as the eye could
reach there was nothing to be seen but vast
stretch Of dreary plain, across which the
night wind blew in dreary gusts, making the
green grass ripple like the sea. There was
absolutely no shelter to be had, nor anything
to break the monotony, unless it were a
couple of ant heaps about five PAGES apart.
John sat down on one of the ant heaps and
jess took up her position on the other, and
there they remained, like pelicans in the will
derness. watching the daylight fade out OF
the day.
DOh yOu JudO "0 uetu DCOoCA pAe w
getherf" suggested John, feebly. at would
be warmer, you see."
"No, I DON'T" answered jess, snappish1y.
II am very comfortable as am"
Unfortunately, however, this was not the
exact truth, for poor Jess teeth werS already
chattering with cold. Soon, indeed, they
found that the only way to keep their blood
moving was, weary as they were, to contin-
ually tramp up and down. After an hour and
a half or SO of this, the breeze dropped and
the temperature got more suitable to their
lightly clad, half starved and almost ex-
hausted bodies. Then the moon came up, and
the hyenas, or wolves, or some such animals,
came up also and howled round them
though they could not see them. These hy-
enas proved more than Jess nerves could
stand, and she at last condescended to ask
John to share her ant heap; there they sat,
shivering in each others arms, throughout
the livelong night.
Another drawback to their romantic situa-
ton was that they were positively soaked by
the falling dew. There they sat, or rather
covered, for hour after hour without sleep